Australian fleet operators are facing a combination of rising operating pressures, safety concerns and growing expectations from customers, according to new research into the country's fleet-management sector.
The Connected Fleets in Australia Report 2026, commissioned by Geotab and conducted by ABI Research, surveyed 517 Australian fleet managers, executives and mobile-business professionals about the challenges facing their operations and the technologies being used to address them.
Safety and operating costs remain key concerns
The research found that driver drowsiness, fatigue and safety were the leading concerns for Australian fleet managers. These were followed by meeting customer expectations, fuel costs and operational efficiency.
For businesses operating vans, utes and other light commercial vehicles, controlling these costs can be particularly important because vehicles are often central to day-to-day operations, including deliveries, trades, servicing and mobile work.
The research also points to growing use of connected technology as businesses look for ways to improve fleet performance.
More than half of Australian fleets surveyed are now using in-cab video technology, with operators using video telematics for areas including driver coaching, fatigue management, safety and compliance.
Technology is being used to reduce fleet costs
The research found that businesses using GPS tracking reported significant benefits. Seventy-five per cent said GPS tracking was highly beneficial for fleet management, while 70 per cent reported reducing fleet costs and 57 per cent reported improved productivity. More than half of respondents said they achieved a positive return on investment within 12 months.
Businesses using video telematics also reported improvements across several areas, including driver safety, false claims, safety incident costs and insurance costs. These figures are self-reported results from organisations using the technology, rather than independently measured industry-wide reductions.
As Australian businesses continue to assess how they operate their commercial vehicles, the research suggests that fleet management is increasingly focused on more than simply purchasing and maintaining vehicles. Fuel consumption, driver safety, productivity and data are all becoming part of the wider cost equation.
For LCV operators, that means the focus is increasingly shifting toward whole-of-fleet efficiency, rather than the vehicle itself being the only consideration.
Source: Geotab / ABI Research, Connected Fleets in Australia Report 2026.
